Pep Guardiola delivers worrying Erling Haaland injury update

Pep Guardiola says he is managing striker Erling Haaland's game time during pre-season ahead of Manchester City's Premier League title defence.

The Norway striker is one of City's more senior players on their pre-season tour of the United States, with stars like Rodri, Kyle Walker, John Stones and Phil Foden given time to recover after their excursions at Euro 2024.

Haaland has so far scored in friendlies against Celtic and Milan and has been brought off at half-time during the English champions' last two summer outings, most recently in the 2-2 draw with Barcelona on Wednesday.

The former Borussia Dortmund star endured time on the sidelines towards the end of 2023 and Guardiola has revealed Haaland is not fully fit as the new season kicks off with the Community Shield against Manchester United on Saturday 10 August.

He said: "Erling is not comfortable. We don't want to take risks. But sooner or later he has to take a step with training and minutes.

"The season is there, around the corner. He has niggles, muscular, we don't want to take a risk and lose him for three weeks or a month. That would be a problem."

Haaland came off at the break during City's draw with Barca as Nico O'Reilly and Jack Grealish got on the scoresheet. The game went to penalties after Pau Victor and Pablo Torre struck for Guardiola's old team and the Catalans ended up triumphing 4-1 from the spot.

Guardiola added: "He didn't feel good and that's why he didn't play the second half."

"Sixty-seventy per cent of the squad are on holiday. That's why we need the players. At the same time, we have alternatives, Oscar [Bobb] makes an incredible job again. We're pleased with many things."

City are next in action when they take on Premier League rivals Chelsea on Saturday night in their final pre-season friendly.

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